


The Girl Who Got Away

by AquaEclipse



Series: Escape the Night: the Aquaduct [11]
Category: Escape the Night (Web Series), Escape the Night Fanon, Hetalia: Axis Powers, Multi-Fandom, Original Work
Genre: Blood, Blood Loss, Blood and Injury, Boarding School, Burns, Character Death, Childhood Trauma, Christmas, Christmas Fluff, Christmas Presents, Clowns, Crossovers & Fandom Fusions, Elementary School, Escape the Night Spoilers, Evil, Evil Plans, Fan Characters, Fire, First Christmas, Gen, Hamilton Lyrics, High School, Human & Country Names Used (Hetalia), I Don't Even Know, I Tried, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Implied/Referenced Suicide, Injury, Inspired by Discord, Inspired by Escape the Night, Inspired by Hetalia, Inspired by Real Events, Major Character Injury, Middle School, Mild Blood, Nationverse, Original Character Death(s), Original Character-centric, Panic, Panic Attacks, Personification, Phobias, Plot Twists, Poison, Poisoning, Scary Clowns, School, Song Lyrics, Swearing, Temporary Character Death, Temptation, This Is STUPID, Triggers, Vampire Bites, VidCon 2016 YouTube Convention, VidCon YouTube Convention, Work Contains Fan(s) or Fandom(s), YouTube, characters may be ooc
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-07-04
Updated: 2019-07-10
Packaged: 2020-06-03 21:02:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 4,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19472143
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AquaEclipse/pseuds/AquaEclipse
Summary: A brief look into the life of Mackenzie Isra Baines-Graceffa, the Personification of theEscape the Nightfandom, from her birth to her current circumstances. Written for the countdown toEscape the NightSeason 4.





	1. YouTube

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [A Personal Analysis of Escape the Night](https://archiveofourown.org/works/17529617) by [AquaEclipse](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AquaEclipse/pseuds/AquaEclipse). 



> A week until Season 4 comes out, and just to give myself a reason to write, I decided, earlier this month, to post a short chapter each day for a week, dictating the experiences of my Fandom Personification OC for EtN. The inspiration thing is Chapter 20, to be exact, where I placed her character profile.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The birth, discovery and naming of little _Escape the Night_. I thank YouTube for his support for us.

It was an odd day in November 2015 in YouTube’s office when the Personification of YouTube himself spun around from his office chair, from viewing odd videos of cats, to reacting to what appeared to be a miniature meteorite crashing into his office (but without the impact crater or sound). He ripped off his headphones and exclaimed out loud, “What the f**k?”

For on the carpet was a toddler. A black-haired, violet-eyed toddler who was curled up into a ball at the crepuscular view outside the window. “Not the sunset, not the sunset,” she muttered to herself as she squeezed her eyes shut. Her black leggings were slowly becoming damp with tears.

YouTube felt a twinge in his heart. Despite his exposure to baby videos, he had little to no idea how to take care of the child before him. After minutes of hesitation, he lifted the toddler and carried her to his room, where he laid her down on the lower bunk.

 _The_ Untitled Joey Graceffa project _is her identity_ , his mind told him. _She doesn’t have a name yet. Or an official anchor of existence, for that matter.  
_

YouTube knew that the toddler would grow up and gain her own fandom name – as his instincts told her, she was Fanatical, like many of the other Personifications he had met; unlike him, who was Digital. _(This is why she doesn't have an official anchor of existence yet. Geo-cultural Personifications rely on their culture and geography. Digitals require the Internet and users. Fanaticals need their fandoms, and she's still too young to have one.)_ Still, she needed a ‘normal’, human name for regular usage. He was given the name ‘Asher’, but who would _she_ be? A look through his ‘data banks’ (some of his users make Baby Names videos, after all, so he had a decent source) gave him a name that seemed to suit her, Mackenzie. _She can choose and change her name later in life, if she wants to.  
_

His mind began to wander as the hours ticked by, though he still had paperwork to finish and a ten-hour video to check for 'porn' (he knew that it was a prank, but he had to go through it anyway). _She gives off a similar vibe to_ Lizzie McGuire _and_ Clue _(1985)_ , he wondered, _but why is that?_ At the end of the day, though, he knew that what the _Untitled Joey Graceffa project_ would grow up in accordance to her series and fandom…and he would soon have to hand the child over to her rightful guardians and creator.

Despite this, it was for the best, he knew.


	2. Mr. Creator

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Savant meets his creation. (Trust me, I tried. I suck at this.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suck at writing YouTubers because I don't watch this type of YT vids IRL often, but I tried.  
> And yes, I had to track down Joey's 2016 VidCon vlog to write this.

_21 June 2016_

“C’mon, just tell him, ‘Kenzie.”

ETN stared at the crowd before her, heart speeding along Olympic tracks. Her head was still invisible from the front of the horde of fans, so most people couldn't really detect her presence. However, she could sense the auras of the other YouTube-based fandoms at VidCon, as all Personifications could. She turned back and cocked her head at the ‘teenager’ behind her.

“It’s okay.” YouTube gave the girl (now physically five, but her actual age was still less than seven months) an encouraging smile.

ETN took a deep breath, murmuring, “Thanks, Asher.”

* * *

“Excuse me, Mr. Graceffa?”

“Hmm? Ah, hi!” Strangely enough, the man’s hair was dyed turquoise, not the light grey that she had noticed in her visions. “Can I speak with you…privately? It’s urgent.”

He seemed to be rather confounded by the arrangement, but eventually agreed to the meeting.

* * *

After retreating from the huge fanbase at VidCon waiting for the swamped YouTuber, the trio found a private room to conduct their meeting. “Who are you?”

“My name is _Escape the Night_ , and you are my creator,” the words tumbled out of ETN before she could control herself.

“…What?”

Another deep breath later, “My name is Mackenzie Isra Baines-Graceffa, and I am the anthropomorphic personification of _Escape the Night_ , your YouTube Red show, and its fandom.”

YouTube sighed. “Most humans are f**king idiots. They don’t get the idea of Personifications. Mr. America himself takes at least an hour to convince each of his new Bosses, nearly every time, of his identity. At least, DC says that.” _After all, what happens in DC stays on YouTube._

ETN looked back at him, with a look on her face that clearly read, _you do realize that you’re insulting one of your own people, right?_

YouTube responded with a look known as _many Nations do that, so why shouldn’t I?_

ETN facepalmed.

Joey seemed to get it already, which was much quicker than many world leaders, as YouTube claimed. “So you’re my series, as a person? You are –“

“YouTube himself, Mister,” ETN interrupted.

* * *

Several minutes of rapid-fire questioning later, YouTube added, “The Nations know that Fandoms and Networks like us exist, they just let us Digitals roam and do our work. The Fanaticals are sent to Fandom Academy – stupid name, I know – for training. The issue with ‘Kenzie here is that she has to stay with you until September, as _technically_ her legal guardian.

* * *

An even longer period of time later, the arrangements were settled, and ETN sank into her bed at the two Personifications’ shared hotel room, Fandom Academy Acceptance Letter in hand. _This feels like Hogwarts, only weirder._ (YouTube has essentially forced her to read the series, while debating his allegiance to HP or _Twilight_.) Meanwhile, one very curious yet confused YouTuber returned to meet the intrepid fans waiting for him.

* * *

The next day, ETN spent fifteen minutes coughing up blood into the toilet, and choked on an unknown black gas a little over an hour later; and thus the Death Cycles began.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 6 days to go until the next season's release.


	3. Fandom Academy, Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> ETN's first day at where the Fandoms dwell, featuring some other well-known fandoms (and some not-so) and a couple of their rivalries.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may sound a bit boring, but I'm giving a little insight on what the Fandoms are like, as individuals. Or at least, I try to.  
> Also, I'm sorry that this is out later than usual, but I had to attend an extra-curricular class during the afternoon and my imagination only got simulated in the evening. This chapter is extra-long (i.e. double the length) to make up for this. I'm running on caffeine-induced energy to type this, peeps.

A Victorian-style series of buildings, striking a sense of trepidation before anybody whom approached them. Despite this, the atmosphere felt…different. Chattering filled the air in the distance, almost alleviating the uneasiness of the campus. The well-trodden roads linking the structures were built with stone, the pebbles fitting together with such smoothness that no one would injure themselves should they trip and fall.

Fandom Academy.

Her new ‘home away from home’.

The school required no uniform, but ETN thought that it was for the best to make a good first impression on her peers. She had chosen a rather vintage style of clothing, but with a modern flair to reflect the time from whence the YouTubers had come from.

One, two, three four; one, two, three, four; one, two, three, four; one, two, three, four.

_What if they hate me?_

_Don’t be silly, ‘Kenzie, none of the YouTubers were hated at first sight. You’ll be fine, as long as you prove yourself to be a useful member for the team._

_What if I’m –_

_You can do this! You’re not a stupid idiot – oh, there’s the door._

A glass revolving door, to be precise.

After getting past the first puzzle (how to work one’s way around a revolving door), ETN was immediately swamped by Fandoms, each of them emitting their own aura…and completely ignoring her existence.

“Hello, Spark! It’s been a while since Pikachu came to visit! I’m glad you brought him!”

“Whoa! Mousie, you’ve grown since last term! Must be that new movie, _Zootopia_ , eh?” someone in the crowd told an older girl humming _When You Wish Upon a Star_ under her breath.

“Holy sh*t, Shimizu, do you want me to swipe you?” a teenage girl with her hair in a braid yelled at another dark-haired girl, machete in hand.

“You must first put your machete down and speak to me civilly in front of this crowd, Daphne-san. Let us leave the fight to the death for later,” replied the other girl in a vaguely Japanese accent, who then proceeded to mutter about how the school year should have begun in April instead of September.

“Come on, Arda, assist me! I’ve a project to finish, and I believe that sadly, a delivery of Turkish Delights to His Dark Materials is in order for this to work,” a young man, appearing a good few years older than the average schoolchild at the Academy, asked a taller blond with Elf ears and a huge slashing scar across his face, which somehow did not make a huge impact on his sculpted features.

“Theodore, I am afraid that –” began “Arda”, before a girl with skin as pale as (typical) marble whizzed by as an unnatural blur, and another girl – a blond, this time – rushed after the first, wielding a wooden stake. “Get your ass back here, you b*tcha!”

ETN blinked as the girls sped past her. _I knew Fandoms were chaotic, but this is just insane!_

“Arda” noted, “Buffy and Twilight are up to no good…as usual,” then stalked off, boot heels clicking on the tiled floor. ETN got a whiff of his underlying scent as he passed by – old wood and seawater, and a hint of the familiar rusty smell of blood. The other young man, “Theodore”, hurried after “Arda”, though his footsteps still carried the slight haughtiness shared with his friend.

ETN strapped her iridescent backpack closer to her back, eyebrows arched. A somewhat taller boy glanced at her from further down the corridor. “Yo, Mack! ‘20s style girl down the hall!” _Oh, a familiar face at last. Good day, Fight of the Living Dead!_

“Dustin!” Mary Janes pattered towards the familiar older boy.

* * *

The Great Hall would be filled to the brim, if the grand room could be considered a vessel and the individuals within water molecules. Three levels had to be created for the many Fandoms populating the Academy. The newcomers of the Academy were lined up in alphabetical order along the first row of the Hall, in simple plastic – but comfortable – chairs. ETN watched as other newcomers walked up to the stage, undaunted, one by one.

“ _Escape the Night with Joey Graceffa_ ,” called the announcer, a teenager with piercing green eyes that seemed to analyze one’s soul the moment they met another’s, and ETN couldn’t help but feel a _connection_ with her, as with everyone else in the room, for a moment. She stood up in response and stiffly walked up to the stage. One, two, three, four stairs. The world of pop culture stared at her in return…at least, some of them did. Most were still using their phones.

“A member of the Web Videos realm, we, Fandom Academy, welcome thee,” continued the announcer. A folder of documents was shoved into her arms. Some in the crowd applauded, but a majority of the eyes remained glued to their touch-screens.

Blankly, ETN left for the Web Videos section of the Hall, absent-mindedly rubbing her left temple, where a scar remained from what felt like a bullet going through her skull a month previously. Fight of the Living Dead welcomed her with open arms, while she sat down and looked through the documents. _Student Profile_ , _Student Identity Card_ , _Class Timetable_ , _Extra-Curricular Activity Sign-Up Sheet_ , _School Rules_ , _School Map_ , _Weaponry Registration Sheet_ … For whatever reasons, the first two had a white stripe across the top or side, and a Video Camera sign at the corner.

ETN dug a fountain pen out of her backpack and began filling out the relevant forms. _This is gonna take a while. And the symbols? Just another puzzle to solve for me.  
_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In case anyone is wondering, in order of appearance/mentioning, the Fandoms are: EtN, Pokemon, Disney, Hunger Games, Battle Royale, Narnia/LotR (His Dark Materials is apparently a rival to The Chronicles of Narnia, according to TV Tropes), Twilight, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, FotLD, Harry Potter (aka Fantastic Beasts).  
> I do not plan on giving an explanation in-universe for the stripe and symbol, but here it is: the stripe is to indicate the 'rank' of the Fandom in the Academy. White stripe means a newbie. Think karate belts. The symbol indicates the basis of the fandom – since EtN is a Web Video-based Fandom, her symbol is a video camera. Fandoms with other anchors of existence have other symbols, and in the case of HP (i.e. Fantastic Beasts) two months after this ordeal, she will have two of them (Literature and Live-Action Film – an open book and a clapperboard, respectively), though her Literature side would remain stronger. Percy Jackson, however, would not have the Live-Action Film symbol because the PJO fandom and creator (Rick Riordan) himself have denounced the film, the latter on Twitter, at least.  
> More on Fandom Academy in a future chapter. Perhaps the next, then I will move on to the next seasons.


	4. Season 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A brief description of ETN's first official Christmas, and the emergence of Season 2.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I am kind of late, but I was out until about 2pm, and I was trying to develop a failed plotline until about three hours ago. Anyway, Season 4 premieres in four days! Who else is hyped?

The months slipped away like dandelion seeds in the wind. December came with HP passing out Christmas jumpers ( _“They are_ not _sweaters!”_ ) with everyone’s given name initial, insisting that everyone wear theirs to the annual feast and levitating baubles and other decorations onto the eighty-four ( _“What? It’s 12 times 7!”_ ) spruce trees that the Minecraft siblings had planted and grown, coloured red and gold, yellow and black, blue and bronze ( _“not silver!”_ ) or green and silver (except for the very tops, which were decorated with the Eye of Sauron, Death Stars or dragons). Narnia was skipping around because…he’s Narnia; of course he’s celebrating _Christmas_. (He was also banning Turkish delights from reaching any table or gift for the duration of the holiday.) Disney was blasting holiday songs all over the campus, to the point that YouTube had to threaten to revoke her status as Vice-President of the Music Club so that no more classes could be disturbed.

On Christmas morning, ETN awoke to _Let It Go_ ringing in her ears and a few presents. A black jumper with a golden M, a book of riddles, a YouTube logo pendant, a journal of a man who had spent prolonged periods of time around zombies. All in all, not too bad for a first Christmas.

* * *

Her heart was pumping. It was time.

She entered the house in an obviously outdated suffragette costume, gazing at the now- _familiar_ architectural style. She did not feel at home. The second Mansion was eerie in every sense, from the grounds to the chambers, and she would witness the plotline progress. A masquerade ball on a full moon night, the reflected light mostly shielded by clouds.

The YouTubers on set raised eyebrows at the girl scrawling down details and details into her spiral notebook with a coat-of-arms emblazoned on the front cover. Small and narrow letters dictated the outfits of the guests, votes, probability equations of survival and entering challenges, but no one questioned a thing. _It must be one of Joey’s zany schemes, like this one. It’s all part of the show,_ they thought. Joey himself gave no response to her identity, except to the producers, whom all eventually gained an understanding with the girl representing the series that they had created.

* * *

On her official first birthday, ETN stepped back into the Academy, the weight of dread filling her chest as her eyes were set upon the once-welcoming architecture. She had visibly aged to physical age nine for the few months she was gone, as _Fight of the Living Dead_ had commented on. That evening, her senses dulled in nausea, skin gaining an unhealthy pallor; and the world dimmed before her eyes.

Minutes later, when she came to, two formerly bleeding fang marks had formed upon her throat. _Here we go again…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Sources of the Chapter**  
>  The suffragette outfit that I based ETN's Victorian costume on: https://www.megafancydress.co.uk/suffragette-girl-fancy-dress-9904687-4m.html  
> The Fandoms' Christmas traditions: https://www.hypable.com/fandom-christmas-traditions/


	5. Fandom Academy, Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to Leah, should she read this.  
> Look here, folks, I'm getting a bit lazy, I admit; I was out for about seven hours, so I couldn't really focus on this fic. On the other hand, I got eight books and at least a dozen highlighters for my next school year (it begins in September, yes, I'm a bit mad), so that's not too bad, right?  
> I really am sorry for being late. There are only a couple of days left until Season 4, and yes, this is my countdown for until then. For now, because of this, I can't watch _Men in Black_ , and I may have to be excused as I am going out to celebrate my grandpa's 80th birthday tomorrow night...

_10:45 Brunch_

_12:00 Memology_

Disney was at the front of the room again. _No one’s vain like Gaston, causes pain like Gaston; No one falls to his death in the rain like Gaston_.

Of course. At least ETN had some decent ones, unlike others.

_“A light bulb?”_

_“Eeva~”_

_“Leelee.”_

_“I rebuke you, Satan!”_

_“She’s twerk-dying!”_

_“I wanted to be first!”_ – Just like half of YouTube’s comments section.

_“…and my heart…drops. Pun intended.”_

_“PEPITO!”_

_“Scoop, and check!”_

_“Telephone billet number, please?”_

_“We ARE children!”_

* * *

_12:45 Art_

It was simple, really. A single figure, one of the YouTubers in their iconic outfits of either season. The boy(?) next to her – who had an odd curl towards his left side in his brown (auburn under the light?) hair and was dressed an WW2 era military uniform, weirdly enough – somehow managed to paint the entire Earth with a _single brush-stroke_. _What the hell? Is that guy possessed by the Sorceress?! – Wait, what if she’s not dead yet?!!?_

* * *

_13:30 Writing_

The room was divided into three factions. On the left were the Archivists, led by a teenaged girl with maroon eyes, the colour of her logo. An older, dark-blue-eyed girl sat on a podium before the right side, deep blue and white logo earrings studding her earlobes. Both were bespectacled and identical rings hung on chains around their necks. At the back were several others, but they were not very noticeable.

ETN sat at the far left corner, scrolling through a particularly long novelization.

* * *

_14:15_ _Free Time_

_15:15 Combat_

According to the rest of the class, LoTR and Narnia (as well as any other ‘finished’ Fandom) had “graduated” and do as they wish, and had done so for decades. But those two had remained behind in the classroom, and were sparring incredibly well? As in, they were on par with each other?

Meanwhile, HP and Buffy were both chasing Twilight around. Again.

“Callisto Edwardson, if you just _stop running_ , I may choose not to kick your w@nking arse to Limbo!”

All of a sudden, a lump of human(?) collided into ETN – a teenage girl with amber eyes, indicating that she was a "vampire" that consumed animal blood and not human blood. _This is unnatural!_ ETN instinctively thrust her own stake to the pseudo-vampire’s heart.

Twilight didn’t budge.

“What the actual _f^ck_?!”

“ _SECTUMSEMPRA_ AND _INCENDIO_ , YOU TW@T!” Charred remains and dismembered limbs splattered over her and the floor, covering both in a layer of… _well, she’s seen a human heart before, so why not – aw, sh!t._ And thus, a not-so-human heart joined the mess on the floor.

“Thanks for reminding me that this b!tch can’t be killed with Mr. Pointy,” Buffy deadpanned, though it carried a hint of sincerity between the lines. “What’s your stake?”

“The Wooden Stake of Van Helsing. A replica, that is,” ETN answered, picking up her fallen heart and stuffing it back into her chest. “That was so cool.”

“Eh, she’ll be back in an hour or two,” sighed HP. “My spells can only keep her down for a while, and few have the ability to destroy her, which is _pants_.” Then her face twitched up into a devious grin. “The Billy no-mates is definitely going to murder me for this – _Accio_ T-shirt.” A folded white T-shirt immediately moved to her hands, and as she waved her wand again, Twilight had been ‘mended’, though still in her death-coma, and her T-shirt had been switched to the one HP had summoned – one that read _Team Tyler’s Van_.

“My name is the _Harry Potter_ series and extensions, or Alexandra Darcy Hermione Cooper.”

“Escape the Night, Mackenzie Isra Baines-Graceffa. Nice to meet you in person.”

* * *

_16:00 Music_

" _How does a bastard, orphan, son of a whore and a Scotsman..._ "

Twelve simple words caused a crowd of Fandoms to cease speaking, because as everybody knew, if Hamilton were a human student in modern Chinese society, he would be considered a _hok baa_ in Music. And because his songs were so _catchy_.

The teen’s grey eyes were filled with a strange wistfulness, like an retired warrior speaking of their glory days. Perhaps Fandoms knew more of their backgrounds than others would.

“ _…America forgot him…_ ”

“No, he did _not_!” exclaimed another teenager in the audience. They (He?) was…the guy she sat next to in Art?!

“SHUT UP, HETALIA!” screamed a myriad of other Fandoms, pulling the exasperated Genre Savvy Fandom down to his seat.

Hamilton continued singing anyway, because…of course, he’s Hamilton.

* * *

_16:45 History_

_17:30 Theory/Analysis_

_Liza is Still Alive_ came back with an E. Not too shabby for a first essay, even if every single reason listed in it was proven false throughout the episodes (and the gruesome deaths that came with them).

* * *

_19:00 Dinner_

_20:30 Free Time/Lore (Elective)_

_23:00 Curfew_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own that Gaston meme. Credit goes to the owner.  
> Yes, I had to browse a little in the Twilight Wiki to look up relevant info for this chapter (it is for PURELY RESEARCH PURPOSES!!): https://twilightsaga.fandom.com/wiki/Vampire  
> 'Team Tyler's Van' is the Twilight fandom-haters' response to 'Team Edward' VS 'Team Jacob', named after a van that nearly killed Bella at some point during the saga. HP's just being spiteful. Personally, I'm the kind to tell them to just go have a threesome. To me, it's like FrUk versus UsUk, but much worse.  
> 'Hok baa' is a slang term used where I live that literally translates to 'dominate in learning', i.e. someone who works hard and gets the best grades. Here, nerds are not ostracized, they are respected for their achievements in academia.  
> Fandom Academy follows the Harry Potter grading system (Outstanding, Exceeds expectations, Acceptable; Poor, Dreadful, Troll).  
> For anyone not keeping track, the Personifications introduced (not there last chapter) include (chronologically) Hetalia, AO3, FFN, Hamilton. I thought of introducing Hetalia and Hamilton last chapter, but decided against it in the end.
> 
> It's nearing midnight in my time zone, so I think this is time for me to call it a day and head to bed. I'll see you again, hopefully tomorrow, for a look into Season 3 and its impact, 'key?


	6. Season 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Let us just say that ETN did not react well to what Everlock had in store for her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter, mainly because there isn't much to write about.

It was March 2018 when ETN left Fandom Academy behind for a second time, upon which the Town of Everlock greeted her. This time, a green hoodie was worn over her teal and violet-lettered Christmas jumper. However, before she reached the curtains, a _clown_ popped out!

“Hello, ‘Kenzie darling! C’mon in, the carnival’s in town!”

Her vision was blurring. Why was her chest hurting? _No, no, please get away from me, Kerrie, I don’t know why this is happening but leave omigod omigod…_ She couldn’t move. She couldn’t breathe. Instantly, she knew that this season was going to _hurt_ , and it was going to hurt _badly_.

* * *

“Are you okay?” Concerned voices spoke up around her. Ten people had crowded around her, only one of which she knew so well. The other nine, she only did so vaguely, but she inherently knew that she could trust them. She stumbled forth into a warm pair of arms wrapped in green coat-sleeves, _not clown ones, thankfully_. She let loose a choking breath and whispered, “I’m okay…just need a minute,” before standing up on shaking legs and striding towards the town in apprehension.

Only the ones that had been there last season noticed that she had grown to be physically fifteen.

* * *

Several weeks after returning to the Academy, just after getting over the fact that _yes, Joey really was insane enough to put that scene in the trailer, and yes, it hurt so goddamn much_ , ETN stopped in her tracks. A sharp, curved _something_ was digging a hole into her abdomen, she was bleeding, she couldn’t – she was losing blood, and everyone was screaming, ‘ _what the f^ck just happened’; oh my God; ‘why’, ‘why’, ‘what the actual f^ck’; ‘holy sh!t, this is unbelievable’; there is no way that this is happening, what did they do and didn’t tell me, what the f^ck is this plot twist, you just killed Safiya, like, what in the name of the Society Against Evil,_ “THEY KILLED KENNIE AGAIN!”

When she awoke, a hole had been opened into her side, and dried blood was crusted over the healed wound. Fight of the Living Dead was perched at her side, light brown eyes wide with perturbation, but it was obvious that he understood _exactly_ what she was going through.

“Who was it this time?”

“Saf. The next time I see Willie, I’m going to tie his guts around a pole and make him run around the damn thing.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Update from half a year later (2 Jan 2020, to be precise): I'm adding the trademark symbol to the Stupid Plot Twist™.


	7. The Cursed God

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Woolsey Fire carried some unforseen consequences.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know I could have posted this whole thing a day late, considering my time zones, but c'mon! There's just a day or so until Season 4 premieres!

Invisible flames were eating away at her skin, like waves crashing at a beach during a storm. Her vision was obscured by a dark fog, searing pain burning at her thigh, like a hot iron branding a slave. Screaming echoed in her ears, her heart running an eternal Gauntlet.

_“…and this whole damn town’s gonna burn! Hahahahaha!”_

She slumped against a wall, as the inferno licked at the former Town of Everlock, and all she could distinguish was between _smoke and a sea of reds and oranges_ , until the world slowed down around her, and she could see the carpeted floor out of the corner of her eye; and at last, she let herself be engulfed by the smoke.

* * *

The only thing she could see was purple. A vivid, glowing purple, unlike the violet she could see in her eyes every time she gazed into a mirror. She could also make out long facial tentacles beneath the tilted eyes.

“The Cursed God,” she rasped out, before scooting back as swiftly as she could.

“ _Escape the Night_ ,” a voice hissed. The sound resembled the voice of the Helm of Obedience, sinister and soft. The deity leaned closer, until the two were only inches apart. She shuddered. _Get away from me! What do you want with me?_

“It is a pleasure to finally be able to speak with you. I see the potential flowing through your veins, and I can give you the glory you deserve. Your name known across the globe. Everyone cheering for you as you pass. All I demand of you,” he continued, as though he could detect one’s thoughts, “is you and your people's unyielding loyalty to me.”

_This sounds so wrong._

“You have until sundown to decide your fate.” All of a sudden, a shred of sunlight came from nowhere, and the only visible skies were the colour of the embers left of – _flinch!_ – Everlock. _That b@stard._

“I will never let you win,” she whispered back, giving the Cursed God a stony, cool look. “I stand with my people, and my Boss will banish you to whence you came. We will never bow before you in the name of glory – there are other ways of achieving that than joining your malicious cause.”

“You _killed_ my YouTubers.”

“It was your Boss’s choice. If he hadn’t invited them, they wouldn’t have come to Purgatory, where my Collector rules.”

“Had you never come near us, none of my people would have their hearts broken like this.” Her hand edged towards the holster by her hip.

“Had _your Boss_ or your cult not intervened, I would have achieved my goals without death.” She snorted.

“You’ll have to get through me to get to my people, b!tch.”

“Oh, I _will_.” A hand shielded by the smoke grabbed her by the neck, holding her in a chokehold. A breath rattled from her throat, as her trachea was _squeezed, compressed, as though spikes were stabbing through her skin…_ ETN whipped out her new pale pink revolver, and emptied the rounds into the glowing eyes. He dropped her, stumbling back, and gravity was waiting to catch her at the bottom of an endless abyss of black smoke.

_Purgatory. Collector. Dead YouTubers. Purgatory. Collector. Dead YouTubers._

* * *

“’Kenzie? Escape the Night? Hello? You okay? You got a burn on your thigh, gotta be careful there, girl.”

“I-it’s okay, Dustin. I…just saw…things that no man…or woman…or anything in between and beyond, for that matter…should ever see. G-gimme a moment to compose myself.”

_Purgatory. Collector. Dead YouTubers. Purgatory. Collector. Dead YouTubers._

_Purgatory. Collector. Dead YouTubers. Purgatory. Collector. Dead YouTubers._

_Purgatory. Collector. Dead YouTubers. Purgatory. Collector. Dead YouTubers._

_Purgatory. Collector. Dead YouTubers. Purgatory. Collector. Dead YouTubers…_

_Holy sh!t. Dude just spoiled the next season.  
_

**Author's Note:**

> I hope that you enjoyed this fic, and please leave feedback.


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